Election administration in Wisconsin
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Election administration encompasses a state's voting policies, procedures, and enforcement. These include voter identification requirements, early and absentee/mail-in voting provisions, voter list maintenance methods, and more. Each state's voting policies dictate who can vote and under what conditions.
Below, you will find details on the following election administration topics in Wisconsin:
Poll times
- See also: State poll opening and closing times
In Wisconsin, polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central Time. Anyone in line when the polls close must be allowed to vote.[2]
Voter registration
- Check your voter registration status here.
To register to vote in Wisconsin, one must be a citizen of the United States and a resident of Wisconsin at their current address for at least 28 days before the election. A voter must be at least 18 years of age by Election Day.[3]
Prospective voters can register online or by mailing a form to their municipal clerk. If registering by mail, the application must be postmarked no later than 20 days before the election.[4] Voters must also register online by the 20th day before the election. In-person registration at a municipal clerk's office must be completed by 5 p.m. or the close of business on the Friday before Election Day, whichever is later. Prospective voters can also register at their polling place on Election Day using same-day voter registration. Voters must provide proof of residence when registering to vote.[3]
Automatic registration
Wisconsin does not practice automatic voter registration.[5]
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
Wisconsin has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.
Same-day registration
Wisconsin allows same-day voter registration.[6]
Residency requirements
Wisconsin law requires 28 days of residency in a precinct before a person may vote.[3]
Verification of citizenship
Wisconsin does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, a voter who provides false information "may be subject to fine or imprisonment under State and Federal laws."[7]
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[8] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
The site My Vote, run by the Wisconsin Election Commission, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.
Early and absentee/mail-in voting policy
Early voting
- See also: Early voting
Wisconsin permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
Early voting allows citizens to cast their ballots in person at a polling place before an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting. Alabama, Mississippi, and New Hampshire do not offer no-excuse early voting.
Absentee/mail-in voting
- See also: Absentee/mail-in voting
All voters are eligible to vote absentee/by mail in Wisconsin. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee/by mail.[9][10]
To vote absentee/by mail, a request to the municipal clerk must be received by 5 p.m. on the fifth day before Election Day. Once completed, returned ballots must be received no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day.[10][11] Indefinitely confined voters and military voters who are not away from their residence must request an absentee ballot by the fourth day before the election.[10]
All states allow for some form of absentee/mail-in voting. Seven states and the District of Columbia had automatic mail-in ballot systems that mandate that all eligible voters receive an absentee/mail ballot by default. An eighth state, Vermont, had such a system for general elections only.
Twenty-eight states allow any eligible voter to cast an absentee/mail-in ballot. The remaining 14 states required voters to provide an excuse to receive and cast an absentee/mail ballot. Acceptable excuses vary by state.
Returning absentee/mail-in ballots
- See also: Ballot collection laws by state
Wisconsin law requires that only a voter may return their absentee ballot, with the exception of hospitalized voters.[12] Hospitalized voters may select an agent to return their ballot.[13]
State law says:
| “ | The ballot shall be sealed by the elector and returned to the municipal clerk either by mail or by personal delivery of the agent; but if the ballot is returned on the day of the election, the agent shall make personal delivery to the polling place serving the hospitalized elector’s residence before the closing hour or, in municipalities where absentee ballots are canvassed under s. 7.52, to the municipal clerk no later than 8 p.m. on election day.[14] | ” |
Eighteen states allow anyone chosen by the voter to return a ballot on the voter's behalf, with certain exceptions, while 16 states allow anyone with certain relationships to the voter to return the voter's ballot. Four states allow only the voter to return the voter's ballot, with certain exceptions, and two states required voters to return their ballots by mail. Ten states and D.C. do not specify who may return ballots.
Drop box availability
Wisconsin law does not explicitly mention drop boxes, but a 2024 Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling permits, but does not require, their use.[15] The 2024 ruling overturned a 2022 decision, which found that drop boxes were not allowed under state law.[16] To read more about this decision, click here.
Voters may contact their municipal clerk here to learn whether drop boxes are available in their jurisdiction.
Signature requirements and cure provisions
Wisconsin requires absentee/mail-in ballots to contain both a signature and an address from one voter and one witness. If a signature or address is missing from either the voter or the witness, the vote cannot be counted.[9]
Wisconsin law does not specify a cure provision, or a process by which voters can correct a signature discrepancy.
Was your absentee/mail-in ballot counted?
Use the Track My Ballot tool provided by the Wisconsin Elections Commission to check the status of your absentee/mail-in ballot.
Voter identification requirements
- See also: Voter ID in Wisconsin
- See also: Voter identification laws by state
Wisconsin requires voters to present photo identification while voting.[17][18]
The following list of accepted ID was current as of January 2026. Click here for the Wisconsin Election Commission's page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.
- Wisconsin Department of Transportation-issued driver's license
- Wisconsin Department of Transportation-issued identification card, with or without a photo
- Veteran ID card or U.S. Uniformed Service ID card
- U.S. passport book or card
- Identification card issued by a federally recognized Indian tribe in Wisconsin
- Photo identification card issued by a Wisconsin accredited university, college, or technical college, containing the date the card was issued, an expiration date, and a signature. (If expired, the voter must also provide a separate document proving enrollment)
- Certificate of naturalization issued within the past two years
- Driver’s license receipt issued by Wisconsin Department of Transportation (valid for 45 days from date issued)
- Identification card receipt issued by Wisconsin Department of Transportation (valid for 45 days from date issued)
- Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles ID Petition Process Photo Receipt (valid for 60 days from date issued)
To view Wisconsin state law pertaining to voter identification, click here.
The following voters do not need to provide photo ID:[19]
- Confidential electors
- Active military and permanent overseas voters who vote by absentee ballot
- Indefinitely confined voters who vote by absentee ballot
Voters can obtain a free Wisconsin State ID Card at a Wisconsin Division of Motor Vehicles office. Voters need the following to apply for an ID:[20]
- Proof of name and date of birth (such as a birth certificate)
- Proof of identity (Social Security Card, Medicaid/Medicare Card, etc.)
- Proof of Wisconsin residency (utility bill, government mail, lease, etc.)
- Proof of U.S. citizenship (U.S. Birth certificate or citizenship paperwork)
- Social Security Number
Voters who do not have all or any of the materials listed above can still obtain an ID. Call the voter ID hotline for assistance at (844) 588-1069.[20]
Click here to learn more about the background of Wisconsin's law.
Thirty-six states require voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day. Of these states, 24 require voters to present identification containing a photograph, and 12 accept other forms of identification. The remaining 14 states do not require voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day.
Valid forms of identification differ by state. In certain states that require voters to provide identification, there may be exceptions that allow some voters to cast a ballot without providing an ID. To see more about these exceptions, see details by state. Commonly accepted forms of ID include driver's licenses, state-issued identification cards, passports, and military identification cards.
Provisional balloting for voters without ID
Voters who do not have ID while voting may cast provisional ballots. See below for provisional ballot rules.
Provisional ballot rules
Voters in Wisconsin are given provisional ballots, or ballots requiring additional steps or information before they can be counted, under the following circumstances.[21]
(1) If a voter who "has been issued a current and valid Wisconsin driver license or identification card number registers to vote at a polling place on Election Day, but is unable or unwilling to list the number on the registration," the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.
(2) If the voter is unwilling or unable to provide proper identification, the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.
A provisional ballot is rejected "unless the voter provides the required information to the poll workers by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day or the municipal clerk by 4:00 p.m. of the Friday following the election," according to the Wisconsin Elections Commission.[21]
Was your provisional ballot counted?
Use the voter search tool provided by the Wisconsin Elections Commission to check the status of your provisional ballot.
Primary election type
- See also: Primary elections in Wisconsin
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Wisconsin utilizes an open primary system; registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary.[22]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Time off work for voting
In Wisconsin, employers must allow employees to take three consecutive unpaid hours off work to vote, provided employees notify them of their intended absences:[23]
| “ | (1) Any person entitled to vote at an election is entitled to be absent from work while the polls are open for a period not to exceed 3 successive hours to vote. The elector shall notify the affected employer before election day of the intended absence. The employer may designate the time of day for the absence.
(2) No penalty, other than a deduction for time lost, may be imposed upon an elector by his or her employer by reason of the absence authorized by this section. |
” |
Twenty-eight states require employers to grant employees time off to vote. Within these 28 states, policies vary as to whether that time off must be paid and how much notice must be given.
Electioneering
Wisconsin state law prohibits electioneering during polling hours on Election Day at a polling place or within 100 feet of its entrance. Electioneering is also banned at in-person absentee voting sites, or within 100 feet of the entrance to a retirement home or residential care facility while voting is taking place. State law defines electioneering as “any activity which is intended to influence voting at an election.”[24]
Voting rules for people convicted of a felony
In Wisconsin, people convicted of a felony automatically regain their right to vote upon completion of their entire sentence, including incarceration and parole or probation.[25]
Voting rights for people convicted of a felony vary from state to state. In the majority of states, people convicted of a felony cannot vote while they are incarcerated but may regain the right to vote upon release from prison or at some point thereafter.[26]
Voter list maintenance
All states have rules under which they maintain voter rolls, or check and remove certain names from their lists of registered voters. Most states are subject to the parameters set by the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA).[27] The NVRA requires states to make efforts to remove deceased individuals and individuals who have become ineligible due to a change of address. It prohibits removing registrants from voter lists within 90 days of a federal election due to a change of address unless a registrant has requested to be removed, or from removing people from voter lists solely because they have not voted. The NVRA says that states may remove names from their registration lists under certain other circumstances and that their methods for removing names must be uniform and nondiscriminatory.[28]
When names can be removed from the voter list
Wisconsin law authorizes election officials to remove the names of voters from the registered voting list if an individual:[29][30][31]
- dies
- is determined to be incapable of understanding the “elective process” or is placed under guardianship
- is convicted of a felony
- has "made or become interested, directly or indirectly, in any bet or wager depending upon the result of the election"
- lists their address as a building that has been "condemned for human habitation by the municipality" and did not leave a forwarding address
- authorizes the municipal clerk to cancel their registration
- is determined to have moved outside of their jurisdiction
- fails to respond to a continuation of registration notice
- does not vote for four years and has a registration notice returned as undeliverable.
Inactive voter list rules
State law requires the Wisconsin Elections Commission to contact all voters who have not voted in the past four years to notify them that they must apply for a continuation of their registration. If they do not reply within 30 days, their registration is suspended. Suspended voters must refile voter registration paperwork to vote again.[30]
The Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC)
According to its website, ERIC is a nonprofit corporation that is governed by a board of member states. These member states submit voter registration and motor vehicle registration information to ERIC. ERIC uses this information, as well as Social Security death records and other sources, to provide member states with reports showing voters who have moved within their state, moved out of their state, died, have duplicate registrations in their state, or are potentially eligible to vote but are not yet registered. ERIC's website describes its funding as follows: "Members fund ERIC. New members pay a one-time membership fee of $25,000, which is reserved for technology upgrades and other unanticipated expenses. Members also pay annual dues. Annual dues cover operating costs and are based, in part, on the citizen voting age population in each state."[32]
Twenty-five states are participating members in the ERIC program. Thirty-four states and the District of Columbia have joined and participated in ERIC at some point.[33]
As of January 2026, Wisconsin was participating in the ERIC program.[34]
Post-election auditing
Wisconsin state law requires post-election audits. Local election officials conduct the audit with oversight from the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC). WEC randomly selects a minimum of five reporting units for each voting system used in Wisconsin. At least one reporting unit must be from each of Wisconsin's 72 counties.[35]
If the error rate exceeds a set amount, WEC must "take remedial action and order remedial action to be taken by affected counties and municipalities to ensure compliance with the standards."[36] If discrepancies cannot be explained, WEC may suspend approval of the affected voting system in Wisconsin.[35]
Post-election audits check that election results tallied by a state's voting system match results from paper records, such as paper ballots filled out by voters or the paper records produced by electronic voting machines. Post-election audits are classified into two categories: audits of election results—which include traditional post-election audits as well as risk-limiting audits—and procedural audits.[37][38]
Typically, traditional post-election audits are done by recounting a portion of ballots, either electronically or by hand, and comparing the results to those produced by the state's voting system. In contrast, risk-limiting audits use statistical methods to compare a random sample of votes cast to election results instead of reviewing every ballot. The scope of procedural audits varies by state, but they typically include a systematic review of voting equipment, performance of the voting system, vote totals, duties of election officials and workers, ballot chain of custody, and more.
Forty-nine states and the District of Columbia require some form of post-election audit by law. Of these, 35 states and the District of Columbia require traditional post-election audits, while seven states require risk-limiting post-election audits, and seven states require some other form of post-election audit, including procedural post-election audits.[39][37]
Election administration authorities
State election officials
The Wisconsin Elections Commission oversees election administration in the state.[40] The commission appoints an administrator, who is the state's chief election official. The administrator serves for a four-year term.[41]
The elections commission is composed of six members. Four members are appointed by the majority and minority party leaders in the Wisconsin Assembly and Wisconsin Senate. Two members are nominated by the governor from lists submitted by legislative leaders from each party and must be former county or municipal clerks. Members serve for five-year terms.[41]
Local election officials
Do you need information about elections in your area? Are you looking for your local election official? Click here to visit the U.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool. |
Noteworthy events
State supreme court reinstates use of drop boxes for absentee/mail-in ballots (2024)
On July 5, 2024, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled 4-3 in Priorities USA v. Wisconsin Elections Commission to reinstate the use of ballot drop boxes in the state. The ruling overturned a July 2022 decision by the court that held that state law only permitted voters to return absentee/mail-in ballots by mail or in person at the office of a municipal clerk. After the 4-3 decision in 2022, the balance on the Wisconsin Supreme Court shifted from a conservative to a liberal majority following the April 2023 election of Justice Janet Protasiewicz.
Justice Ann Walsh Bradley writing for the majority—which also included Rebecca Dallet, Jill Karofsky, and Protasiewicz— said that the 2022 decision in Teigen v. Wisconsin Elections Commission "was unsound in principle, and as a consequence, we overrule it."[42] The opinion continued: "Our decision today does not force or require that any municipal clerks use drop boxes. It merely acknowledges what Wis. Stat. § 6.87(4)(b)1. has always meant: that clerks may lawfully utilize secure drop boxes in an exercise of their statutorily-conferred discretion."[42] The majority opinion found that the doctrine of stare decisis was not sufficient to uphold the 2022 ruling because "Teigen has neither fostered reliance nor created a settled body of law."[42] Bradley, Dallet, and Karofsky were all in the minority in the 2022 decision.
In a dissenting opinion, Rebecca Bradley—joined by Annette Ziegler and Brian Hagedorn—wrote, "The majority again forsakes the rule of law in an attempt to advance its political agenda."[42] The minority's dissent continued, "Although the majority purports to "assum[e]" "'stare decisis concerns are paramount where a court has authoritatively interpreted a statute[,]'" the majority discards that principle as an inconvenient obstacle to its policy preferences."[42] All three dissenting justices were part of the majority in the 2022 decision in Teigen.
Reacting to the decision, Brian Schimming, chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, said in a statement: "This latest attempt by leftist justices to placate their far-left backers will not go unanswered by voters."[43]
Election officials in several of the state's most populous jurisdictions, including Milwaukee, and Dane County, which includes the state capital of Madison, approved of the court's decision. Paulina Gutiérrez, the Executive Director of the Milwaukee Election Commission, said: "This is just another opportunity for us to provide a safe and secure way for people to drop off their absentee ballots here to the City of Milwaukee."[44] In 2020, Milwaukee installed 15 drop boxes through a $70,000 grant from the Center for Tech and Civic Life.
The court agreed to hear the case on March 12, 2024, bypassing the state court of appeals to consider the single issue of drop box availability. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) filed a brief urging the court to overturn it's 2022 decision, while the Republican National Committee and the state's Republican Party filed briefs supporting the 2022 decision and urging a dismissal of the challenge.[45][46]
State supreme court rules on drop boxes for absentee/mail-in ballots (2021-2022)
On June 28, 2021, two Wisconsin voters filed suit in Waukesha County Circuit Court, challenging the legality of guidance by the Wisconsin Elections Commission that allowed for the use of absentee/mail-in ballot drop boxes. On January 13, 2022, the circuit court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs and invalidated the guidance. The Wisconsin Elections Commission appealed, and the intermediate appellate court stayed the circuit court's order through the February 15, 2022, primary election. The plaintiffs petitioned the Wisconsin Supreme Court to vacate the stay. On January 28, 2022, the high court declined to vacate the appellate court's stay. On February 2, 2022, the Wisconsin Elections Commission petitioned the state supreme court to extend the appellate court's stay through the April 5, 2022, election and resolution of the case on the merits. On February 11, 2022, the Wisconsin Supreme Court issued a 4-3 ruling that allowed the circuit court's ban on absentee/mail-in ballot drop-boxes to take effect in the April 5, 2022, election.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many
The court majority – comprising Justices Annette Ziegler, Rebecca Bradley, Patience Drake Roggensack, and Brian Hagedorn – said, "The record before us, including the timetable for making the necessary administrative changes as outlined by the court of appeals, indicates that the Commission can comply with the circuit court's order so as to ameliorate concerns about voter confusion and election administration before the April 5, 2022, election commences. The need for additional relief in the form of an extended stay has not been established."Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many
Justice Ann Walsh Bradley dissented: "Once again, a majority of this court makes it more difficult to vote. With apparent disregard for the confusion it is causing, the majority provides next to no notice to municipal clerks, changing procedures at the eleventh hour and applying different procedures from those that applied to the primary in the very same election cycle." Justices Rebecca Frank Dallet and Jill J. Karofsky joined Bradley's dissent.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many
On July 8, 2022, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled 4-3 that state law prohibited the use of most drop boxes for returning absentee ballots.[47] Justice Rebecca Bradley, writing for the majority, said, "The key phrase is 'in person' and it must be assigned its natural meaning. 'In person' denotes 'bodily presence' and the concept of doing something personally." In a dissent, Justice Ann Walsh Bradley wrote, "[The majority] has seemingly taken the opportunity to make it harder to vote or to inject confusion into the process whenever it has been presented with the opportunity. Without justification, [the majority] fans the flames of electoral doubt that threaten our democracy."[48]
State supreme court rules on purging voter registration records for certain voters (2021)
On April 9, 2021, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled 5-2 that Wisconsin Elections Commission has no statutory obligation to carry out the requirements of a state law mandating that the registration status of eligible voters be changed when they move away from a municipality. Writing for the majority, Justice Brian Hagedorn said, "Wisconsin law requires that its statewide voter registration list be updated regularly. Before us is a dispute over one kind of voter-registration cleanup prescribed by law: a statute requiring that the registration status of eligible voters ... be changed when officials receive reliable information that the elector moved out of their municipality." Hagedorn concluded, "[While] Wis. Stat. § 6.50(3) requires that the registration status be changed for those who move out of their municipality, it gives this responsibility to municipal election officials, not to the [Wisconsin Elections] Commission." Chief Justice Patience Roggensack and Justices Ann Walsh Bradley, Rebecca Dallet, and Jill Karofsky joined Hagedorn's opinion. Justices Rebecca Bradley and Annette Ziegler dissented.[49] In the dissenting opinion, Justice Rebecca Bradley wrote that "The majority's decision leaves the administration of Wisconsin's election law in flux, at least with respect to ensuring the accuracy of the voter rolls."[49]
Federal appeals court rules on early voting, voter ID laws (2019-2020)
On June 29, 2020, a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit reversed a district court decision and upheld a law making changes to the number of days and hours for in-person absentee voting, the state's durational residency requirement, and prohibiting the sending of absentee ballots via email. The appeals court affirmed the district court's decision that had invalidated a law disallowing the use of expired student IDs for voting purposes. Judge Frank Easterbrook penned the court's opinion, which was joined by Judges Michael Kanne and Diane Sykes.[50]
On January 17, 2019, Judge James Peterson issued an order blocking changes to Wisconsin's early voting law signed into law in December 2018 by Gov. Scott Walker (R). The law in question restricted early voting to 14 days preceding an election, ending on the Sunday before the election. The law also disallowed the use of expired student IDs and temporary IDs more than 60 days old as identification for voting purposes.[51]
Election policy ballot measures
Ballotpedia has tracked the following ballot measures relating to election and campaign policy in Wisconsin.
- Wisconsin Question 1, Ban on Private and Non-Governmental Funding of Election Administration Amendment (April 2024)
- Wisconsin Question 2, Only Designated Election Officials to Conduct Elections Amendment (April 2024)
The table below lists bills related to election administration that have been introduced during (or carried over to) the current legislative session in Wisconsin. The following information is included for each bill:
- State
- Bill number
- Official bill name or caption
- Most recent action date
- Legislative status
- Sponsor party
- Topics dealt with by the bill
Bills are organized by most recent action. The table displays up to 100 results. To view more bills, use the arrows in the upper-right corner. Clicking on a bill will open its page on Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker, which includes bill details and a summary.
Explore election legislation with Ballotpedia
Try Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation TrackerBallotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker provides daily updates on legislative activity related to election policy in all 50 states.
Our election policy experts translate complex bill text into easy-to-understand summaries. And because it's from Ballotpedia, our legislation tracker is guaranteed to be neutral, unbiased, and nonpartisan.
Read Ballotpedia's State of Election Administration Legislation ReportsBallotpedia publishes regular analysis of election administration legislation, including three full reports per year, providing ongoing coverage of legislative activity affecting election policy in each state.
These reports deliver insights into partisan priorities, dive deep into notable trends, and highlight activity in key states.
Subscribe to The Ballot BulletinThe Ballot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy.
The newsletter tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from our Election Administration Legislation Tracker.
Ballot access
In order to get on the ballot in Wisconsin, a candidate for state or federal office must meet a variety of state-specific filing requirements and deadlines. These regulations, known as ballot access laws, determine whether a candidate or party will appear on an election ballot. These laws are set at the state level. A candidate must prepare to meet ballot access requirements well in advance of primaries, caucuses, and the general election.
There are three basic methods by which an individual may become a candidate for office in a state.
- An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
- An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
- An individual can run as a write-in candidate.
This article outlines the steps that prospective candidates for state-level and congressional office must take in order to run for office in Wisconsin. For information about filing requirements for presidential candidates, click here. Information about filing requirements for local-level offices is not available in this article (contact state election agencies for information about local candidate filing processes).
Redistricting
- See also: Redistricting in Wisconsin
Redistricting is the process by which new congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn. Each of Wisconsin's eight United States Representatives and 132 state legislators are elected from political divisions called districts. United States Senators are not elected by districts, but by the states at large. District lines are redrawn every 10 years following completion of the United States census. The federal government stipulates that districts must have nearly equal populations and must not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity.[52][53][54][55]
Wisconsin was apportioned eight seats in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2020 census, the same number it received after the 2010 census. Click here for more information about redistricting in Wisconsin after the 2020 census.
State process
- See also: State-by-state redistricting procedures
In Wisconsin, both congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn by the Wisconsin State Legislature. These lines are subject to veto by the governor.[56]
The Wisconsin Constitution requires that state legislative districts be compact and "that they be bounded by county, precinct, town, or ward lines where possible." The state constitution further stipulates that state legislative districts should be contiguous.[56]
Contact information
Election agencies
- See also: State election agencies
Individuals seeking additional information about election administration in Wisconsin can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.
Wisconsin County Clerks
Wisconsin Elections Commission
- Physical Address: 201 West Washington Avenue, Second Floor
- Madison, Wisconsin 53703
- Mailing Address: P.O. Box 7984
- Madison, Wisconsin 53707-7984
- Phone: 608-266-8005
- Toll free: 1-866-947-3529
- Fax: 608-267-0500
- Email: elections@wi.gov
- Website: https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
- 633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200
- Washington, DC 20001
- Phone: 301-563-3919
- Toll free: 1-866-747-1471
- Email: clearinghouse@eac.gov
- Website: https://www.eac.gov
Ballotpedia's election coverage
- United States Senate Democratic Party primaries, 2026
- United States House Democratic Party primaries, 2026
- Democratic Party gubernatorial primaries, 2026
- Democratic Party Secretary of State primaries, 2026
- Democratic Party Attorney General primaries, 2026
- State legislative Democratic primaries, 2026
- United States Senate Republican Party primaries, 2026
- United States House Republican Party primaries, 2026
- Republican Party gubernatorial primaries, 2026
- Republican Party Secretary of State primaries, 2026
- Republican Party Attorney General primaries, 2026
- State legislative Republican primaries, 2026
See also
- Election laws and legislation in Wisconsin
- State of Election Administration Legislation Reports
- Factors affecting the speed of ballot counting and delivery of unofficial election results
- Voting in Wisconsin
- Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Wisconsin
- Redistricting in Wisconsin
Elections in Wisconsin
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ We use the term "absentee/mail-in voting" to describe systems in which requests or applications are required. We use the term "all-mail voting" to denote systems where the ballots themselves are sent automatically to all voters. We use the hyphenate term for absentee voting because some states use “mail voting” (or a similar alternative) to describe what has traditionally been called "absentee voting."
- ↑ Wisconsin State Legislature, "Wis. Stat. § 6.78," accessed January 5, 2026
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Wisconsin Elections Commission, "Voter Registration and Proof of Residence," accessed January 5, 2026
- ↑ City of Milwaukee Election Commission, "How to Register to Vote," accessed January 5, 2026
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Automatic Voter Registration," accessed January 5, 2026
- ↑ Vote.gov, "Register to vote Wisconsin," accessed January 5, 2026
- ↑ Wisconsin Elections Commission, "Wisconsin Voter Registration Application," accessed January 5, 2026
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Wisconsin Elections Commission, "Vote Absentee Guide," accessed January 5, 2026
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Wisconsin Elections Commission, "Voting by Absentee Ballot," accessed January 5, 2026
- ↑ Wisconsin Election Commission, "FAQ," accessed January 5, 2026
- ↑ Village of Oregon, "FAQs," accessed January 5, 2026
- ↑ Wisconsin State Legislature, "Wis. Stat. § 6.86," accessed January 5, 2026
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Supreme Court of Wisconsin, "CASE NO.: 2024AP164," July 5, 2024
- ↑ Votebeat, "Wisconsin legalized ballot drop boxes, but some local officials are fighting them," October 3, 2024
- ↑ Wisconsin Elections Commission, "Acceptable Photo IDs," accessed January 5, 2026
- ↑ Wisconsin Elections Commission, "Acceptable Photo IDs for Voting in Wisconsin," accessed January 5, 2026
- ↑ Wisconsin Elections Commission, "Exceptions to the Photo ID law," accessed January 5, 2026
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Wisconsin Department of Transportation, "Wisconsin ID card for voting purposes - petition process," accessed January 5, 2026
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Wisconsin Elections Commission, "Provisional Voting," accessed January 5, 2026
- ↑ Wisconsin State Legislature, "Wis. Stat. § 5.62," accessed January 5, 2026
- ↑ Wisconsin State Legislature, "Wis. Stat. § 6.76," accessed January 5, 2026
- ↑ Wisconsin State Legislature, "Wis. Stat. § 12.03," accessed January 5, 2026
- ↑ U.S. Department of Justice, "Guide to State Voting Rules That Apply After a Criminal Conviction," accessed January 5, 2026
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Felon Voting Rights," August 19, 2025
- ↑ As of January 2026, the Justice Department notes, "Six States (Idaho, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming) are exempt from the NVRA because, on and after August 1, 1994, they either had no voter-registration requirements or had election-day voter registration at polling places with respect to elections for federal office."
- ↑ The United States Department of Justice, "The National Voter Registration Act of 1993," accessed January 12, 2026
- ↑ Wisconsin State Legislature, "Wis. Stat. § 6.03," accessed January 5, 2026
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 Wisconsin State Legislature, "Wis. Stat. § 6.50," accessed January 5, 2026
- ↑ Wisconsin State Legislature, "Wis. Stat. § 6.56," accessed January 5, 2026
- ↑ ERIC, "FAQ," accessed January 12, 2026
- ↑ ERIC, "Who We Are," accessed January 12, 2026
- ↑ ERIC, "About," accessed January 5, 2026
- ↑ 35.0 35.1 Wisconsin Elections Commission, "2024 Post-Election Voting Equipment Audit Procedures," accessed January 6, 2025
- ↑ Wisconsin State Legislature, "Wis. Stat. § 7.08(6)," accessed January 5, 2026
- ↑ 37.0 37.1 National Conference of State Legislatures, "Post-Election Audits," accessed January 12, 2026
- ↑ Election Assistance Commission, "Election Audits Across the United States," accessed January 12,2026
- ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted in October 2024, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
- ↑ Wisconsin State Legislature, "Wis. Stat. § 5.05," accessed January 5, 2026
- ↑ 41.0 41.1 Wisconsin State Legislature, "Wis. Stat. § 15.61," accessed January 5, 2026
- ↑ 42.0 42.1 42.2 42.3 42.4 Supreme Court of Wisconsin, "CASE NO.: 2024AP164," July 5, 2024
- ↑ Republican Party of Wisconsin, "WisGOP Statement on SCOWIS Ruling on Absentee Drop Boxes," July 5, 2024
- ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Wisconsin Supreme Court reinstates absentee ballot drop boxes," July 5, 2024
- ↑ AP News, "Wisconsin Supreme Court changes course, will allow expanded use of ballot drop boxes this fall," July 5, 2024
- ↑ WisPolitics, "WisGOP: Files amicus brief against illegal drop boxes," May 7, 2024
- ↑ The New York Times, "Wisconsin Supreme Court Prohibits the Use of Most Drop Boxes for Voting," July 8, 2022
- ↑ NPR, "The Wisconsin Supreme Court says ballot drop boxes aren't allowed in the state," July 8, 2022
- ↑ 49.0 49.1 Supreme Court of Wisconsin, "Wisconsin v. Wisconsin Elections Commission: Opinion," April 9, 2021
- ↑ United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, "Luft v. Evers," June 29, 2020
- ↑ Governing, "Early-Voting Restrictions Passed in Wisconsin Lame-Duck Session Blocked by Judge," January 18, 2019
- ↑ All About Redistricting, "Why does it matter?" accessed April 8, 2015
- ↑ Indy Week, "Cracked, stacked and packed: Initial redistricting maps met with skepticism and dismay," June 29, 2011
- ↑ The Atlantic, "How the Voting Rights Act Hurts Democrats and Minorities," June 17, 2013
- ↑ Redrawing the Lines, "The Role of Section 2 - Majority Minority Districts," accessed April 6, 2015
- ↑ 56.0 56.1 All About Redistricting, "Wisconsin," accessed May 7, 2015
